Lost to the Orcs (Oyeon Orcs)

Chapter Six Of Tribe Jaedason

CHAPTER SIX: OF TRIBE JAEDASON

It’s getting dark. Really dark. I shiver. I didn’t know the forest was colder than the open air. Or that it got darker than it normally would. I can see sunlight filtering in in tiny patches but the dark has creeped its way into the world around me.

I am bleeding but it has slowed immensely… and my bandage has glued itself to my skin as it dried. This is going to be hell.

Alrightie. Forest. Predators in forests? Wolves. Right? I don’t think they can climb trees. I should climb one just in case. Damn. When was the last time I climbed a tree?

I look up at the tree before me. The closest branch is about 15-ish inches from the tips of my fingers on my tip toes. I try to jump and barely graze the branch. Trying one or two more times, yields nothing.

I huff and feel my sweat sting my now seriously opened wound. I lean against the tree in a huff. I hate pain. I slide to my feet, the bark biting into my back. I hate the dirt. I hate carriages. I hate men. I hate that I’m here.

For the first time since arriving, my tummy growling, my lips chapped, my body trembling, I cry. Soft wrenching sobs fill the air around me and the tears flow like a waterfall. “I want to go home.” I cry.

Eventually, I fall asleep. After some time, I feel warm. Extremely so. Like I’m cocooned in the most snug, warmest blanket I’ve ever had. It smells of the earth and pine. My ears pick up the thumping of something against my head. No, it’s probably in my head. I’ll likely have a headache when I wake up. I snuggle into my imaginary blanket and fall back into sleep. I’ll need this illusion. Because in the morning, it’ll be one more nightmare. I feel myself drift away; rocked gently until I’m swallowed entirely by darkness.

~~~~~

When I blink my eyes open. It’s bright, brilliant green all around me. I’m lying in the middle of a clearing, wrapped in the cloak and a leaf of food next to me. What? I thought—

I remember the yellow eyes, surrounded by green and darkness. Oh god. It hadn’t been the men who were feeding me. Nor the ones giving me the cloak.

I realize for the first time that the cloak is large enough for two of me. Two of me . I swallow and look tentatively around me. I feel like I’m being watched. But I don’t see anyone. God. I quake beneath the cloak.

“Hello?” My call flies through the clearing. But nothing responds. I’m surrounded by forest, so they could be anywhere within.

I’m about to remove the cloak but then realize I am completely bare from the waist up. The wrap that had covered my bandages as well as the shirt I had been wearing are gone. Hell, even my bandages are gone. In its place is a slimy green sludge. Ick!

I sniff the goo on my fingers. It smells absolutely putrid. “Yuck!” I start wiping the goop onto the grass around me when I hear a loud growl that freezes my hand mid-wipe. I look up to find a large green grey shirtless hulking beast with muscles stomping their angry way to me.

I try to scrabble backwards, but I’m stuck within the cape. When he is standing before me, he’s so tall. Like way too tall. With my half crouched half laying position I barely come to the bottom of his knee! “What are you doing, lass?” He growls at me.

Oh. Why did that send tingles down my back? I stare at him wide eyed. My mouth agape.

“Donnae go quiet now, eh? You curse like an Orc on his worst day.”

“Y—you can talk!” OH. Smart. Real fucking smart. “I mean, who are you?” A warmth spreads across my cheeks.

He acknowledges my question with a nod before squatting in front of me. If I were standing, we’d be about the same height. I don’t know how this makes me feel. “U’snar of Tribe Jaedason.”

“Oohsuhnar?”

His lips twitch as he shakes his head. “U’snar.” When I say it incorrectly once more, he shrugs. “Soon.” Before grabbing my wrist and taking my hand. “I work hard on this.”

“This?”

He takes the goop off my fingers and applies it back to the slice. I flinch. Not because it hurts but because I’m naked. And he’s seen everything . My skin is covered in red now. I’m like a volcano about to erupt. “Salve. Medicine. This.” He lifts his fingers and the green goop is slathered on his fingers like slick.

OH my god where did that thought come from. I slap my hands over my face. You need to get your shit together and fast . I rub my face furiously before removing them. U’snar is looking at me with a raised brow. “Sorry. I’m just…” think damn it. Think. “Embarrassed because I’m not dressed properly.” Yeah. Great job. Return the attention to the fact that you are half naked. Superb.

His eyes lazily wander over my form huddled beneath the cloak before returning to my gaze. “You are dressed fine. Any mate would be pleased.”

Oh, I think I’m going to die of sheer embarrassment. “I’m not anyone’s mate.” I mumble but he seems to not have any difficulty in hearing me.

He laughs. Dark, rich chocolate that clenches my tummy and sends skitters of emotion up and down my skin. After he is finished laughing at me, he shakes his head. “You are mate t’ me.”

My jaw touches ground before snapping shut as I stand at my full height; ignoring the urge to stand on my tip toes. “I am not your mate. We’ve never even—I’ve never—this is ridiculous! We just met!” Our eyes are level and the heat within his golden gaze at my outburst causes a resulting spark to begin its slow hot burn within my chest. Oh no. OH no no no no. Someone call an ambulance because this guy…is going to send me to the next world.

He reaches his non goop hand to place a strand of hair behind my ear. “We have. But I hunted you. You accept my scent.” He touches the cape. “My food.” Indicating the leaf he left food on for me. “You run for me. ”

“Of course, I accepted the cape! I was freezing! And I was starving. I’m not going to just leave the food there! I didn’t know you were courting me !” My chest is heaving as my voice raises with his claims. “And I did not run for you . I was running away from those men.”

“The challengers.” He nods as if that makes sense. “Wished they’d no’ catch you.” I’m nodding. See? He gets it. I didn’t want them to catch me. I wanted to be— “Wanted me t’ catch you.”

I jerk my head mid nod. “What?”

“So, after I run them off, you continued. For me.”

“No! I—you’re getting this all mixed up!” I groan, my tone petulant. “I wasn’t—Orc’s aren’t even real! Why would I ever know about mating practices for an ORC .”

He flinches. His golden gaze darkening a smidgen, his lips thinning, making his tusks more pronounced. He stands at his full height. Towering over me and making my stomach flip. I’m not sure if it’s fear or something far more dangerous. But I’m feeling it. From the roots of my hair to the tips of my toes. The danger, the sheer breadth of him making my nipples pucker.

I suck in a sharp breath, inhaling his rich scent. My mouth waters. Oh dear. I grip the edges of the cape and wrap them close around me so he doesn’t notice. I mean, I doubt he can notice much of me from that height. But still.

“I am Orc born. You are Orc mate. We travel home.”

My brows meet. “Home? But I can’t—” Not my home. He means his home. “No.” I step back. “I’m not going to your home.” I shake my head. “I have to find a way out of this place. I can’t go with Orcs!”

I remember the campfire stories the men told loud enough for me to hear. About how the Orcs would ravage any woman. Use her like a wad of tissue and toss her away. Just a warm place to cum inside. Ravaged. Abused. They’ll impregnate her and use her until she can’t bear any more.

I shiver. If this Orc hasn’t tried anything though, what makes me think the next Orc wont? He thinks I wanted him based off so few actions. What happens when he takes me home?? Will someone offering me a hand mean something if I accept it? Can I even eat anything that isn’t given to me by U’snar??

Jeeze this is so confusing!

U’ snar sighs and shakes his head. As if he’s disappointed in me. “Come.” He turns to leave.

Blinking up at him, I bite the words coming out of my mouth with ground teeth, “No. I said I’m not going.”

He turns back to me. “Then run.”

“What?”

“Run. I weel chase. If I catch you, you come home. You find town, you may leave. I count to five, ach?”

“But—

“Run.”

“I—

“One.”

“Can you—

“Two.”

“FUCK!” I turn around and start bolting out of the clearing and into the thick forest. Immediately the cloak is a hindrance. But unless I want my breasts on display and just bouncing around, I need to keep it on. I’m panting but I’m moving. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.

After a few minutes, hoping I’ve lost him, I lean against a tree and take gulping breaths.

“You do better, ach?” My eyes snap up to the trees where U’snar stands on a branch. It looks way too thin. But he’s well balanced as he looks down on me. “I give you another try?” His words sound benevolent. As though he is graciously offering me a boon. The smirk on his lips makes my belly quiver and my temper rise just a smidgen.

My mouth, agape, won’t shut. I’m so surprised. Horrified even. I’m here gasping for air and he’s looking like he went for a fucking stroll. Is this a god damn joke?!

And why does he look good even from all the way down here? I thought certain angles are supposed to make you un attractive! This is such crap!

Bare chest with little hair covering it. There’s a light dapple of it leading to his groin which is covered by what I would call harem pants. Bare feet with black claws. He’s just sharp angles everywhere. I flush with irritated desire.

He nods solemnly at me. “Again? ”

So, I run. Hearing him count to ten this time as I go.

My legs pump as I run. Lungs working overtime. I skid in the forest floor, sliding on some leaves. I try to stop the momentum while flailing my arms. My foot clips on a root and I twist in order not to fall face first. I yelp as my other foot lands in order to stop me. But I hear a taking noise behind me. I pick up another burst of speed, ignoring the twinge and throb of my feet.

After another few minutes, I am leaning against another tree when I hear the rustling of leaves. Not again. He did not.

“You run like a child.” He chides. “Loud. Aimless. Lost?” I glower at his slightly smug expression. “I listen. Hear you are lost. You donnae remember here.” He waves his arms around to indicate this place; to me it’s not just this forest or the roads. But the whole damn plane of existence. “You know no’ o’ Orcs.” Because where I come from those are a part of fairy tales and legends.

He drops down from the branch easily, even though he’d been walking on it like it were a tightrope. All seven feet of him drops to the ground gracefully. Soundlessly. A part of me is jealous. Another part is annoyed. I feel so small next to him. Not just in height. But in everything. He bends on one knee before me. He reaches down and takes my foot into his hands, I hiss out a breath. Fuck that is just too damn painful.

He clucks his tongue in reproach. “I chase. You shouldnae harm yourself.” Shaking his head, he growls. “Reckless. Jaedason weel be angered with me.”

“Well, someone took my shoes.” I grit as he pulls a water skin from around his waist. He wipes my foot clean before wrapping it in a strip of leather cloth he had retrieved from a satchel on his waist next to the water skin. He lifts my other foot in order to do the same with it. The clicking of his tongue is loud between us.

“Ach. So, Jaedason weel like scold me. As chief in training, is my duty t’ care for all. Most important, my mate.” He looks at me, curiously. Assessing me before nodding. “Our mate.”

“Our—

He picks me up in his arms like I were just a pile of pillows. A squeak escapes me. “Come. I take you home.”

“I’m not going!” I grit.

He chuckles, a light rumbling in his chest vibrating into my bones with his warmth. A finger grazes my breast beneath the cape. I’m not sure if it’s an accident when the same finger brushes me again. I gasp. “Stop that.” With a swat of my hand on his, I hear a sort of chuffing laugh leave him. “I said I’m not going and you can stop trying to paw at me. I’m not your mate either.”

His golden gaze looks down at me. Not even watching where he is going. Just staring into my very soul. He hums. The sound soothing to my ears. Making my chest ache. “I caught you.”

Oh, for the love of—

“You ran. You agreed.” Technicalities. I just frown at him. A deep crease in my brows. Another chuffing laugh. “Mine. Everything about you. I wish t’ see you smile.” I bare my teeth at him with a snap of my jaws. He stops. Staring at me. Probably at my audacity and childishness but damn it. This whole thing is crap. He’d set me up for the shittiest test. I was never going to get away from him. I don’t even know where ‘here’ is. I don’t even know how to get to the town. Let alone what berries are edible and what are not. I don’t know anything about this world and he gave me five seconds to run away? Yeah. It was a set up. And if that means I’m going to act like a petulant child, then so be it.

His laughter makes me boil. It’s a deep belly laugh that lathers my skin in warmth from his skin and jostles me in his arms. My heart flutters. NO. You stop that right now. But I’m watching him. He’s not human handsome. Never could be. But he’s strong and rugged and his laughter. It’s so warm. Transforming. Have you ever seen someone just laugh and it’s like the sun shines from within them? Just bursting forth and bathing you in their light? That’s his laugh.

His features are very square and sharp angles. High cheekbones, square jaw and a dimpled chin. His eyes are his most striking features as they show the sunshine he hides within. His nose is wide and crooked. Lips full and probably soft and warm with tusks as large as my pinkie finger curve up from between his lips. Ears are long and tapered at the end like one would think of as elf ears. His hair is black as sin, pulled back into a braid and shaved to a fine fuzz on the sides. Not sure but his face looks like it was probably shaved this morning. And there is an odd stripe of darker skin around his neck and wrists.

I want to touch his face. To gander at the difference in colors. Look at how I compare to his moss and ash skin tone. I want to caress his cheek and pull his face down to ki—

“You smell divine mate.” I watch as he takes in a breath of what can probably only be one meaning.

“P-put me down!” My voice is high pitch in my embarrassment. My face a brilliant red.

“Ach, but then I couldnae smell you so well.” His lips widen into a saucy and flirty grin. His eyes a warm honey as his accent thickens.

I’m left gawping at him like a fish. No. NO. “Th-that’s the point!” I sputter. You buffoon. Can’t you get a single word out without sounding like an idiot? Considering my reactions, I really really am one, but do I have to look like one too??

He grins before shaking his head. “Your feet.” The reminder makes my feet tingle. Oh yeah. “I provide more salve.” He looks at me again before continuing forward. “For all that pains you.” His gaze is molten gold that clenches my tummy in ways I should not be thinking of. Especially not with a big green male. Definitely not a male with tusks. Can he even—NO. Shut it down.

“I can walk.”

“No’ for a time.” He caresses my thigh with a thumb. “I weel carry you.”